Tuesday, December 30, 2014

hell yeah! Early 90s WCW TV requests. That’s where the money is. This Center Stage set makes me have feelings.

I got to see Abdullah live and up close 10 years ago and that is the fattest man I have ever seen in my life, I think. In person, I mean. I think Tom Zenk is kind of underrated. Later in the 90s and early 2000s, he would guest on Meltzer’s radio show and talk all kinds of crazy shit, real disgruntled old guy stuff, but not in the Ole Anderson way, or like Paul Roma claiming Ric Flair held him down because he was jealous of Roma’s hot bod & great talent. He seemed to find the comedy in it all, and that made him super entertaining.

But I really think Zenk is underrated, and that’s from rewatching a lot of early 90s WCW a few years back. He wasn’t great or anything, but he was real solid as a singles and a pretty damn good tag wrestler with Pillman.

This is a pretty hot start with Z-Man getting worked over, then making the tag to Pillman, who immediately lights Abdullah the fuck up with open hand slaps to the chest and then a BODYSLAM, before getting caught coming off the top rope, giving Cactus a chance to come in and squeal and do his damage. Jack was hot as hell in WCW and they never quite got it, but that dude was getting good stuff out of Van Hammer around this time.

Pillman slips on a springboard attempt and sells the knee but good, then he gets hit in the face with Abdullah’s shrunken head on a stick, then Cactus clotheslines him off the apron. Cactus and Pillman had some fun TV matches together. This was a fine time for WCW match quality and don’t let anyone tell you any differently. 1990-93 WCW beats the dogshit out of 1990-93 WWF. That’s a bona fide fact, you guys. There is no argument for the WWF as actually being the superior promotion other than they had more brand name recognition and other synergy integration revenue streams shit like that.

Zenk gets a hot tag and puts it on Abdullah with a pair of superkicks that stagger the Madman from Sudan, then Zenk jumps on piggyback for a sleephold that has Abdullah fading before Cactus manages to get in there with the referee distracted and hit Zenk with that stick, giving his team the win.

But as the bad guys continue their assault on Zenk and Pillman after the contest, Zenk ducks a stick shot and Cactus accidentally hits Abdullah. Cactus isn’t really upset or sorry about it, it happens. Abdullah is more or less OK that it happened, too, it’s just they’re now going to fight one another, and they do, with Abdullah getting the better of a short struggle. What great television fun. Hotter than all the RAWs of the last third of 2014

Sunday, December 7, 2014

The Long Riders, comprised of brothers Bill and Scott Irwin, were the reigning International Tag Team Champions in the spring of the 1986. When Scott Irwin briefly left the promotion to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatment for a cancerous brain tumor, longtime Toronto-area undercarder Danny "Bullwhip" Johnson (using the moniker Cowboy Bull Johnson) replaced him. However, he and Bill Irwin were eventually stripped of the belts for failing to make a title defense within 30 days. The newly-formed tag team of Tom Zenk and Phil Lafon (who used the name Dan Kroffat in Montreal) were chosen to be their opponents in a bout for the vacant titles. However, as you will see here, a certain someone makes an unexpected return, albeit under a mask. Rick Martel and Sadistic Steve Strong also get involved in what turns out to be one of the craziest brawls ever shown. For my money, this is one of the best executed angles I've ever seen. The match itself is a terrific clash of opposing styles. Eddie the Brain Creatchman managers Bill Irwin and Johnson here, while Milt Avruskin and Gino Brito provide commentary. This match was taped in the Palais des Sports in Sherbrooke, Quebec and aired on June 28, 1986 (estimated airdate). I've also included a Dino Bravo interview and a Steve Strong video as bonuses.